Inspired by RMDH mission, JD Miller paints railcars for auction
One of the highlights of The Ronald McDonald House of Dallas’s 38th annual Trains at NorthPark is Art on the Rails, a new auction component where fine art and train enthusiasts can bid on an impressive four-car train set, hand-painted by renowned reflectionist artist and Samuel Lynne Galleries owner, JD Miller.
For Miller, the task hit a personal note.
“I had a lot of issues with my daughter growing up — medical things, in and out of hospitals, and so, I know how tough it is as a family,” he said. “I just really love what they’re doing.”
No stranger to this kind of community philanthropic work, Miller has painted a pair of cowboy boots for the Cattle Baron’s Ball and a violin for two consecutive years for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, all to be auctioned off.
The five-car painted train was unveiled at his Dragon Street gallery before its NorthPark debut.
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“I’d never done anything like that, so I really just let my imagination roam,” he said. “The technique I do is really bright and colorful and real thick paint. I wound up painting the train black, then just doing this 3D stuff on top, and it turned out really cool.”
“We’ll display it up there, and then we’re going to be auctioning it while the trains are running,” he added. “Then we’ll just give a hundred percent of it to Ronald McDonald House when we finally have the winner.”
Located on level one of NorthPark Center, the signature fundraiser and holiday tradition supports families from across Texas, the U.S., and around the world who travel to Dallas for critical medical care for their children and teens.
Co-Chaired by Vanessa Fuquay and Elizabeth Anderson, this year’s event introduces several new features designed to enrich the visitor experience.
Choo-Choo Tales, a theatrical story-time experience in collaboration with Dallas Children’s Theater and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, features weekly live performances in the NorthCourt. The short play, written by recent Booker T. graduate Esau Price, will be directed by DCT artistic director Emily Ernst.
This year’s Sensory Hours, presented by Children’s Health, will take place Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 2 p.m., providing a welcoming environment for guests with sensory sensitivities.
Presented by Bank of Texas for the 17th consecutive year, The Trains at NorthPark, which opened Nov. 15, will run through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.
The 2025 season of The Trains aims to raise more than $1.1 million to help provide a home-away-from-home for families with sick children at no charge to them.
“We are proud to welcome families back to the Trains at NorthPark,” said Jill Cumnock, CEO of RMHD. “This year, we’ve introduced exciting new features designed to make the experience event more interactive and accessible for all guests. Thanks to our incredible sponsors and help from the community, the magic of trains continues to bring joy and comfort during the holiday season.”
